Parents' Guide to The Walking Dead: The Final Season

What will become of those who inherit a world of undead? That's the question The Walking Dead: The Final Season sets out to answer by setting the action among a group of kids at an old boarding school, creating a bit of a Lord of the Flies vibe along the way. Without parents or adults around, these kids must govern themselves and make lots of hard choices without any guidance. Clementine, meanwhile, has come full circle. She began the series as a very young girl who learned how to survive from a stranger who adopted her, and now that she's a bit older, she's filling the role of mentor to an adopted kid of her own. Seeing her struggle to serve as a good role model for AJ, equipping him mentally and emotionally for the horrifying world in which he lives, is fascinating. And watching her do it among a group of peers who have had to fend for themselves -- and perhaps not as successfully as she -- makes us respect her all the more. It's a great way to tell the final chapter of her story.

And Walking Dead has never looked better. Visual details -- including realistic hair and clothing movement, improved shadowy areas, and authentic lighting effects -- easily set this final series of episodes apart from its predecessors. What's more, the series' tried and true adventure-style play mechanics, while more or less unchanged at their core, have been gently updated for this final series. Movement feels a bit more fluid and intuitive, and there's more to see and find in world exploration. Clem can even display the stuff she discovers in her and AJ's dorm room. And at the end of each episode, we're provided more information about our progress than ever before via a more extensive review of our choices, including Clem's current standing with all of the kids in her new group. The Walking Dead: The Final Season may feel familiar, but it's also bold and gratifying in unexpected ways -- a strong send-off for one of the most empathetic and lovable characters in modern games.